There was a GNU project to create free software for online voting. In 2002, Jason Kitcat the project coordinator abandoned development, pointing to this quote from Bruce Schneier: "a secure Internet voting system is theoretically possible, but it would be the first secure networked application ever created in the history of computers."

I don't see anything having changed in the intervening fourteen years, other than perhaps attackers getting more sophisticated. We may not have internet voting, but the idea that voting machines or those used in the tabulation of votes are connected to the internet is madness.

I still believe that regulators should require that, if a caller ID is to be presented, it should be traceable to an individual in the originating country (with the carrier responsible if it's not). A carrier should be able to warrant this to its interconnects - if it can't, that carrier's calls will all be presented with no caller ID.

Customers can then reject calls without caller ID or from other countries if necessary.,Where caller ID is presented it is then traceable to a person, enabling existing state rules about such calls to be enforced.

There is no good reason that I should be able to buy a VOIP account for a couple of dollars a month and spoof any caller ID.

Perhaps, but if you read the thread you will recognize that I am referring to the OPs use of purpose.

So, in the alternate, you could say that it's purpose it to intelligently respond to natural language after hearing a wake word. A cynic may go further and suggest that the intelligent response will be determined in part by Amazon's ability to monetize the response.

Nonetheless, the design and intent are for the device to transmit language after hearing a wake word. If it operates outside that design and intent, this should be detectable if your router is secure and able to track outbound usage on a per device basis.

Actually, its purpose is to listen for a wake word, then send the next sentence to the cloud for processing.

For someone concerned about wiretapping, it would make sense to monitor outbound data use by the echo. Spikes caused by wiretapping should be obvious since it does not normally transmit everything it hears.

If somehow you could have gotten all of this done with a client and an IMAP server (at least for individuals without intra-user shared data) maybe a more open client model would have held on to some of the market because the back-end could have been a single system and not a mashup of a half-dozen different services.

Why would a bandwidth heavy standard like IMAP support have saved things? We already have open standards for calendar and contacts, CalDAV and CardDAV respectfully. And there are open source server solutions that implement them, such as Zimbra.

I've had the original, the 4S and when 6 came out I decided against it on two reasons and got a 5s - I don't need a door to carry in my pocket and I don't need a snitch that can be read by any passer by. So if they put the innards of whatever 6 or 6s in the SE without removing the NFC I am not going to get one. NFC and wallet and fingerprint reader are bad for security

So let's get this right, you're comfortable with your phone broadcasting over bluetooth, wireless 802.11 a,b,c,g and n, 2g, 3g and LTE wireless signals in CDMA and GSM etc. But when it comes to NFC you draw a line? That makes perfect sense.

I tend to agree. Car recalls are nothing new. I can only imagine the reaction here if Apple announced that you'd have to take your iPhone back to the Apple Store for OS upgrades or security patches.

Cars have a lot more computer than in the past. It makes them more efficient and it makes them safer. The entertainment system is massively more complex than an old fashioned tape deck, and that lets us have a more enjoyable drive. With all that code, there are going to be things that can be improved or which need fixed, and therefore software updates are inevitable. Given many cars now have 10,000 mile service windows, I for one would rather not wait a year until the dealer installs it at the next oil change.

There's no indication that American Express themselves were compromised. They can only notify their cardholders once the third-party service provider tells them something happened. My guess is that the service provider didn't know until recently.

Now you won't have to hire a surveyor to find out where the edge of your property is.

That would require your property boundaries to be described in coordinates, rather than beginning at the iron pin 20 feet east south east from the largest oak tree; thence northwest 1 furlong until the stone wall bounding farmer Jones' land. More accurate GPS isn't really going to help you interpret something like this. At least the US doesn't have to deal with issues like changes to the length of a furlong made by Queen Elizabeth I.

You would have a hard time convincing me that no passing/passing allowed lines are not helpful.

They are a nightmare. The double yellow lines that are prevalent in the US with very limited passing zones prevent people overtaking in otherwise clear stretches, then encourage it in shorter stretches where there may not be sufficient time or distance to complete the maneuver. I have seen some passing zones which would be sufficient to pass a tractor traveling at 20mph, but which are in no way sufficient to pass a large truck doing 50mph. By putting up a sign that says passing allowed, there will always be those that think this means it's also safe.

Similarly, there may be a long straight stretch which is divided into two passing zones, one for each direction. If you have an oncoming vehicle at the start of the stretch there would often be plenty of room to complete a pass after it goes by, but now you only have half of your 'passing allowed' zone left. Stupid.

That's exactly what (you are) welcome to the food in my kitchen means.

I'm guessing you don't have many friends. Over the years I have told countless people that they are welcome to the food in the fridge or kitchen. Not one has interpreted that as meaning they are welcome to leave the pantry empty.